Israel Revisited

Is Israel as terrible as the media makes it seem? I moved to Tel Aviv for two months to find out.

I spent a year studying at Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 1964. Nearly 50 years later, the country has gone through many changes and as a Canadian I have watched from afar with interest. One of the changes I observed is that Israel has been the subject of an aggressive international deligitimization campaign claiming that Israel is somehow an illegitimate entity.

It’s hard to read between the lines of the media commentary and get to the truth, so I decided to put my business in Vancouver on hold, rent an apartment in Israel for two months, and answer the question for myself: What is the real Israel? Here are my conclusions.

Nowhere else in the world does a country contain so much diversity in so small a space. Nowhere else in the world has a country successfully dared to accomplish so much with so little.

There is no overriding sense of panic or danger.

During the two months of my stay, it was hard for me to believe that every day Israel is a place seriously in danger of extinction by determined enemies. People seem to go about their lives very normally. There is no overriding sense of panic or danger. No curtailing of activities. If anything, there is widespread evidence of people enjoying life. For example, one day I was hiking with a friend who suggested that we search for spring wildflowers, poppies and irises. We were not alone. The hills were dotted with almost as many people as there were flowers, excitedly pointing out where the largest clusters could be found. The wind carried the sounds of “oohs“ and “ahs” up and down the hills.

While the military and security are an important part of life in Israel, I never perceived it as an intimidating or threatening presence. For one thing, the soldiers are so young. Except for their uniforms and rifles (which they carry at all times), they don’t stand out. They behave like young people everywhere, walking about with earbuds implanted, or just hanging out with each other in groups, lying on their duffle bags while waiting for buses. They are shown a great deal of deference by the general population, who treat them as everyone’s children, which of course, they are.

It’s a wonderful paradox of Israeli life that a country in danger of annihilation, with a large military presence, not only feels safe, but normal.

I was getting my hair cut on a cold, rainy day in Tel Aviv when the postman arrived at the salon to deliver the mail. “You must be soaked and freezing,” said Liz, the shop owner. “Here. Sit for a moment and let me make you a cup of tea.” Grateful for the gesture, the postman did not have to be asked twice. “I’ve had a lot of tea today,” he said with a broad smile, implying that this was not the first time this kindness had been extended to him.

Living with Purpose

No, I did not get the impression that life in Israel is ideal. Far from it. There is a very large gap between the haves and the have nots. Daily economic life is a struggle for many people. Over and over, ordinary middle-class people told me that they work very hard just to make ends meet. “Why do you stay?”, I would ask. Zehavit gave me a characteristic answer:

Thirty-two years old and engaged to be married, she owns a nail boutique in downtown Jerusalem, works 60 hours a week and lives frugally, and complains that she and her fiancé have no money to put aside at the end of the month. She previously lived in the U.S. for three years, but came back to Israel. “In the U.S. life is so much easier,” she said. “But people care about each other in Israel.”

Most people who live in Israel do so because this is where they want to be. They could live elsewhere, and often have. But they choose Israel. They want to build a country, to make a difference, to belong, to be part of history, Jewish destiny, or perhaps to embrace the Chinese curse of living in interesting times. There’s a very compelling sense of purpose in this country. It’s more than just patriotism. And it’s not just about surviving. It’s about living with purpose. It’s about a reverence for life. Trying to put it into words makes it sound almost maudlin and trivial.

There’s a sculpture in Sderot which to me exemplifies what words cannot convey. For many years, Sderot has been Israel’s most vulnerable city. After Israel pulled out of Gaza, the locals began launching Qassam rockets at Sderot – over 6,000 of them – which did a lot of damage, both property and psychic. Eventually Israel’s incursion into Gaza and the use of sophisticated equipment that intercepts rockets has diminished the terror.

At an intersection in Sderot, there’s a sculpture of a man playing a drum kit. What’s unusual about it is that it was made from the metal of Qassam rockets. To me the sculpture, and the spirit behind its creation, speak about survival with grace, about taking something that has lethal intentions and almost perversely, turning it into a thing of beauty. It’s a powerful Israel way of saying, “You will not defeat us. “

On my last night in Israel, my friend and I went to a fish restaurant in the neighbourhood. We were seated near the kitchen, and I noticed that the two chefs were Asian, but I couldn't identify their ethnic origin. I asked our young waitress, a student at Tel Aviv University. “They're Burmese," she replied. "They came here as political refugees."

"How many Burmese are in Israel and how did they get here?" I asked. She went into the kitchen and came back a moment later with the answer. "There are about 200 in Israel and they came here through Thailand. They heard that Israel was a good place for refugees."

My two months in Israel was eye-opening. Israel was not the country that I remembered nearly 50 ago when I studied there as a college student. Now, it is so much better.

Visitor Comments: 7

(7)
Scott Edelman,
April 26, 2012 3:20 PM

Excellent

This is an example of what I learned from Reb Noach OBM from Aish HaTorah in Jerusalem - Check out the facts! That's exactly what Ms Yablon has done. She decided to check out the situation for herself instead of listening to the media or other people's opinions. This is truly an inspiring story of the search for truth,...one that every person should learn from.

(6)
Selma Soss,
April 25, 2012 4:21 AM

Israel is a light unto the world.

(5)
Anonymous,
April 24, 2012 9:44 PM

It's driving them nuts...

That's the point! Those who portray Israel as they do, have never been there, and do not know a thing about the country. The hatred is catching, and it's like playing telephone. The messages become so distorted that people don't even know what they are talking about. The rest of the haters are just a bunch of anti-Semites. There must be a reason for them, and maybe it has to do with unifying the Jews who would otherwise be unaware of who we are. Unfortunately, it takes the anti-Semites to constantly remind us.

(4)
Astronautia,
April 24, 2012 8:11 PM

Israel in my heart

From November 1982 - May 1983, I spent the best, most rewarding and compelling 6 months of my life at Kibbutz Ulpan Ramat Yochanan. And yes, every day, week, month and year succeeding, have not been without thoughts, prayers, and internet news-reading of Israel. My house is selling, soon, providing me with some kesev to make a return trip; and perhaps, to finally make Aliyah. Indeed, living out in the Galut, is lacking in the joie de vivre that can only be experienced b'Eretz. Am Yisrael Chai!

(3)
Miri,
April 24, 2012 7:18 PM

Spread the word

It's such a pleasure to read the description of Israel that Brenda Yablon described. I've been living in Israel for almost 30 years, having come from Canada myself, and while at times it's really tough, there is something about Israel that is inexplicable. The wonder of what exists here with all that is going on against Israel is truly miraculous.
Israel is unique and we must ensure it stays so. We must find a way to get these positive impressions out to the world and stop people from seeing Israel as the source of all of the evils in the world. Articles such as these have to make it to more people in other forums as well.
Spread the word.

(2)
Brcky CHEISTWER,
April 24, 2012 6:14 PM

I FEEL THE SAME WAY!!!! I AM AN ARGENTINIAN JEWISH WOMAN 76 YEARS OLD. I VISIT, BUT THROUGH THE YEARS I LONG TO LIVE THERE!! IT IS SUCH A VIBRANT COUNTRY...I FEEL ALIVE THERE !!!! MY CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN ARE HERE, I WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO LEAVE THEM... PITY....I WILL VISIT OFTEN....AM ISRAEL HAY!!!!!

(1)
Richard Marcus,
April 24, 2012 2:50 PM

drving 'em nuts

It must drive the anti-Semites nuts that the Jews have a tiny corner of the world and it's not all Jewish: they WELCOME people from everywhere else to their land where they live and work in freedom and safety as the most despised people on earth: the JEWS. YYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I live in rural Montana where the Cholov Yisrael milk is difficult to obtain and very expensive. So I drink regular milk. What is your view on this?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

Jewish law requires that there be rabbinic supervision during the milking process to ensure that the milk comes from a kosher animal. In the United States, many people rely on the Department of Agriculture's regulations and controls as sufficiently stringent to fulfill the rabbinic requirement for supervision.

Most of the major Kashrut organizations in the United States rely on this as well. You will therefore find many kosher products in America certified with a 'D' next to the kosher symbol. Such products – unless otherwise specified on the label – are not Cholov Yisrael and are assumed kosher based on the DOA's guarantee.

There are many, however, do not rely on this, and will eat only dairy products that are designated as Cholov Yisrael (literally, "Jewish milk"). This is particularly true in large Jewish communities, where Cholov Yisrael is widely available.

Rabbi Moshe Feinstein wrote that under limited conditions, such as an institution which consumes a lot of milk and Cholov Yisrael is generally unavailable or especially expensive, American milk is acceptable, as the government supervision is adequate to prevent non-kosher ingredients from being added.

It should be added that the above only applies to milk itself, which is marketed as pure cow's milk. All other dairy products, such as cheeses and butter, may contain non-kosher ingredients and always require kosher certification. In addition, Rabbi Feinstein's ruling applies only in the United States, where government regulations are considered reliable. In other parts of the world, including Europe, Cholov Yisrael is a requirement.

There are additional esoteric reasons for being stringent regarding Cholov Yisrael, and because of this it is generally advisable to consume only Cholov Yisroel dairy foods.

In 1889, 800 Jews arrived in Buenos Aires, marking the birth of the modern Jewish community in Argentina. These immigrants were fleeing poverty and pogroms in Russia, and moved to Argentina because of its open door policy of immigration. By 1920, more than 150,000 Jews were living in Argentina. Juan Peron's rise to power in 1946 was an ominous sign, as he was a Nazi sympathizer with fascist leanings. Peron halted Jewish immigration to Argentina, introduced mandatory Catholic religious instruction in public schools, and allowed Argentina to become a haven for fleeing Nazis. (In 1960, Israeli agents abducted Adolf Eichmann from a Buenos Aires suburb.) Today, Argentina has the largest Jewish community in Latin America with 250,000, though terror attacks have prompted many young people to emigrate. In 1992, the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires was bombed, killing 32 people. In 1994, the Jewish community headquarters in Buenos Aires was bombed, killing 85 people. The perpetrators have never been apprehended.

Be aware of what situations and behaviors give you pleasure. When you feel excessively sad and cannot change your attitude, make a conscious effort to take some action that might alleviate your sadness.

If you anticipate feeling sad, prepare a list of things that might make you feel better. It could be talking to a specific enthusiastic individual, running, taking a walk in a quiet area, looking at pictures of family, listening to music, or reading inspiring words.

While our attitude is a major factor in sadness, lack of positive external situations and events play an important role in how we feel.

[If a criminal has been executed by hanging] his body may not remain suspended overnight ... because it is an insult to God (Deuteronomy 21:23).

Rashi explains that since man was created in the image of God, anything that disparages man is disparaging God as well.

Chilul Hashem, bringing disgrace to the Divine Name, is one of the greatest sins in the Torah. The opposite of chilul Hashem is kiddush Hashem, sanctifying the Divine Name. While this topic has several dimensions to it, there is a living kiddush Hashem which occurs when a Jew behaves in a manner that merits the respect and admiration of other people, who thereby respect the Torah of Israel.

What is chilul Hashem? One Talmudic author stated, "It is when I buy meat from the butcher and delay paying him" (Yoma 86a). To cause someone to say that a Torah scholar is anything less than scrupulous in meeting his obligations is to cause people to lose respect for the Torah.

Suppose someone offers us a business deal of questionable legality. Is the personal gain worth the possible dishonor that we bring not only upon ourselves, but on our nation? If our personal reputation is ours to handle in whatever way we please, shouldn't we handle the reputation of our nation and the God we represent with maximum care?

Jews have given so much, even their lives, for kiddush Hashem. Can we not forego a few dollars to avoid chilul Hashem?

Today I shall...

be scrupulous in all my transactions and relationships to avoid the possibility of bringing dishonor to my God and people.

With stories and insights,
Rabbi Twerski's new book Twerski on Machzor makes Rosh Hashanah prayers more meaningful. Click here to order...